New research using data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has provided a rare glimpse at the surface of a rocky planet outside our solar system. The planet may be similar to Mercury or Earth’s moon, with little to no atmosphere.
From chasing toxic clouds to developing rocket fuels for Mars, Brian Cantwell shares stories of his time working on space exploration technologies – starting with an internship with the Apollo program.
Stanford has played a leading role in compiling Fermi’s gamma-ray bursts catalogs ever since the space observatory launched nearly 11 years ago. More than 120 authors contributed to the effort.
Analysis from halfway through the Gemini Planet Imager’s planetary survey hints that our solar system may have rare qualities which could possibly be related to the habitability of Earth.
A swarm of 105 tiny satellites the size of computer chips, costing under $100 each, recently launched into Earth’s orbit. Stanford scientist Zac Manchester, who dreamed up the ChipSats, said they pave the way for cheaper and easier space exploration.
With some Stanford-led upgrades, the gravitational wave detector LIGO is back online after a year of work. It’s now more sensitive than ever to spacetime ripples and will be joined by other detectors around the world.
Thomas Kane, who revolutionized how scientists study forces and motion and whose research helped spacecraft and astronauts orient properly in space, died at age 94.
Inspired by early explorers and science fiction, researchers at the Space Environment and Satellite Systems lab are trying to understand how we could use space’s challenging environment to our advantage.
Understanding the underlying principles behind flight at extreme speeds could help propel people across the globe more quickly or to distant planets, according to Javier Urzay.
Stanford researchers are developing an AI-powered navigation system to direct spaceborne ‘tow trucks’ designed to restart or remove derelict satellites circling aimlessly in graveyard orbits.
